Unintended Consequences In Communicating Sustainability: Balancing Public Expectation with Product Reality

Communicating improvements in the environmental impact of products can drive consumer sales and drive home the business value of sustainability. But it needs to be done carefully. Marketing and advertising can become so creative or aspirational that the facts get blurred or left behind. Skeptical activist groups may jump at the opportunity to undermine product claims. How to proceed in a responsible way? For guidance, we'll look at:

ü  The FTC’s “Red Flags and Green Lights”:  What the Federal Trade Commission is saying with proposed modifications to its guidelines for environmental marketing

ü  Case Studies: What you can learn from examples of companies that have faced unexpected challenges to environmental communications about their products

ü  Tips for Success: How messages should be created for successful environmental communications, and how sustainability officials on the technical side can help marketers succeed.